


The Squared Circle

by Colleen17



Category: Emergency!
Genre: Consequences, Friendship, Gen, Humor, Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-27
Updated: 2013-07-15
Packaged: 2017-12-16 08:00:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/859798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Colleen17/pseuds/Colleen17
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A different world is introduced to Roy and Johnny.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“What are you two talking about?” Chet had just walked into the locker room to get changed for shift. Paramedics Roy DeSoto and Johnny Gage were halfway through dressing discussing what they did on their day off.

“We took Chris to the wrestling last night. One of his friend’s father is a wrestler so he gave us some free tickets.” Roy explained to the lineman as he continued to get dressed.

“And you went too?” Chet asked Johnny who was tucking in his shirt.

“Y…yeah. It was fun. I’ve seen it on TV. What about that big guy Roy?” Johnny’s eyes lit up when he recalled a particular wrestler. He didn’t notice Chet scowling at him.

“Aaahhh….Bruiser Brody.” Roy clicked his fingers as he remembered the name. “He was big and mean. Chris never stopped talking about him all the way home.”

“Wait a minute.” Both paramedics stopped talking and turned to Chet who was looking at them like they had just grown two heads. “You mean to tell me you saw Bruiser Brody?”

“Yeah.” Both paramedics answered, a bit bewildered as to why Chet was reacting the way he was.

“The two of you went to a wrestling show….professional wrestling show.”

“And Chris.” Roy added.

“Yeah and Chris.” Johnny frowned at Chet, wondering why the lineman was looking so mad. “Why, is there something wrong with that?”

”Apart from the fact that you’ve never mentioned wrestling before now and that I am a number one fan, no nothing at all. Why didn’t you ask me?” Chet pointed to himself.

“Well….” Johnny shrugged his shoulders lost for words. His expression changed to confusion. “You like professional wrestling?”

“Yes.” Chet answered with conviction. Johnny looked at Roy who was smiling.

“Next time we go you can come.” Roy said casually. He and Johnny left the locker room. Johnny nodded in agreement. Chet stood frozen on the spot and watched the paramedics leave.

Throughout the shift Chet asked the paramedics about the show. He wanted to know who won and how. Neither man could remember exactly who or how which frustrated the lineman. Finally Roy had had enough of the questioning. “Look I’ll put Chris on the phone when I ring Joanne and you can ask him. He wrote it all down when he got home.” This seemed to satisfy Chet.

Johnny shook his head. “You do know Chet that it’s fake.”

“Sh….you don’t say that. Not to a fan…and don’t ever say it to a wrestler.” Chet looked around the room. He looked like he was worried a wrestler would jump out at them.

“What are you talking about Chet?” Johnny was getting tired of the way the lineman was acting. “Look Chet….it’s just another form of entertainment…..we had a good time…..booed and cheered….end of story.” Johnny picked up the paper and started to read.

Chet rose from his chair and started to circle the table. “It wasn’t just any show you saw. Bruiser Brody is a legend. You saw the man.” Chet waved his arms in the air emphasising his words.

Roy calmly smiled at Chet. “Aren’t you taking this a bit too seriously Chet? They’re just men like you and me. Some of them have fulltime jobs. It’s a hobby.” Chet shook his head in disbelief.

“Roy….these are born athletes.”

“Athletes!” Johnny yelled incredulity at Chet.

“Yes Gage athletes.” Chet lent over close to Johnny as he said it.

“Chet I think you’re getting worked up over…..”

“Don’t say it Roy. I can see I’m wasting my time here, non-believers.” Chet walked out of the kitchen in disgust.

Johnny looked at Roy and shook his head. Roy just casually shrugged his shoulders. They both knew Chet could take things to the extreme. This was just one of them.

That evening, as promised, Chris talked to Chet on the phone. He wrote down the results and questioned Chris about holds and moves. Johnny listened and didn’t understand half the things Chet said. He wondered if Chris knew what Chet was rambling on about.

When Chet finished the call he smiled and sat down writing in his notebook. “Chet….How come you never mentioned wrestling before now?”

“Because the fans only talk to other fans and clearly you guys are not true fans.”

“What….you know…..you are incredible…” Johnny was pointing to Chet and was interrupted by the klaxons. The squad was called out to a man down.

The run turned out to be a father had broken his arm wrestling with his dog. Johnny was deep in thought on the way back to the station.

“You know Roy….they should warn people to not try what they do at home.” As usual Roy was confused. Johnny had a tendency to talk about something he was thinking about and expect everyone to know what he was thinking.

“Run that by me again?” Roy watched the road only glancing at his partner.

“Last night….we saw all this stuff, throwing people around….jumping off ropes….and not once did they warn people to not try this themselves.”

“I take it we’re talking about the wrestling again.” Roy said resignedly.

“Yes we’re talking about the wrestling. What else would we be talking about?”

“You know Johnny…..You’re getting just as carried away as Chet.” Johnny scoffed at Roy’s remark.

“All I’m saying is they should make it clear especially to kids, to not try doing some of the stuff they do. You have to admit they make some of those moves look easy.” Johnny waited patiently for his partner to reply.

“I think it’s up to the parents to tell their kids that, not the wrestlers.” Roy as usual was calm and wise in his reply.

“I guess you’re right.” Johnny thought over his partner’s words.

“Do you want to go again?” Roy asked smiling.

“You bet.” The two paramedics smiled like school kids. They were hooked.

The next morning when Roy arrived home he was greeted by his sleepy kids and loving wife. They sat down to breakfast and Joanne filled her husband in on what had happened in the last 24hrs.

“Dad, when can we go to the wrestling again?” Chris looked at his father expectantly. Roy could see that his son was hooked also.

“We’ll have to see when they’re in town again. Why don’t you ask Jason and see when his father is wrestling again?” Roy said as he ruffled his son’s hair.

Chris pushed his father’s hand away. “Dad…..don’t….I just brushed it.”

“You could have fooled me. Is the latest style bed hair?” Roy tried to pat down the back of his son’s head.

“Daaad…”

“Roy, stop torturing your son.” Joanne admonished, but her smile spoiled the effect.

Roy turned serious, remembering what Johnny had said. “You know never try that stuff the wrestlers do yourself, don’t you?”

“Yeah.” Chris said disappointedly. “Jason said his dad won’t let him try anything because he has to learn how to fall properly first…..and that won’t happen til he’s older….they are the rules.” Roy nodded.

“Good cause you know you could quite easily break something fooling around.”

“I know.” Chris’s eyes lit up. “Maybe I’ll be a professional wrestler when I grow up.” Roy nearly choked on his coffee. Joanne held the dish towel to her face muffling her laughter.

Roy cleared his throat and tried to be supportive as well as sensitive to his son’s feelings before responding. “You have a while to decide what you want to be. How about you concentrate on….something like….being ready on time for school first.” Chris got up from the table and grabbed his lunch as he left the kitchen.

Joanne couldn’t contain herself. She burst out laughing. “You’re no help Joanne, sitting there giggling.”

“You should have seen your face Roy. It was priceless.” Their daughter made herself known by dropping her spoon. “You better get ready too sweetheart.”

“I am ready mommy.” She picked up her schoolbag and skipped to the front window to watch for the bus.

“Wait til I tell Johnny what Chris wants to be when he grows up.” Roy shook his head and sighed. _‘Parenting shouldn’t be this hard.’_ He thought.


	2. Chapter 2

The klaxons sounded sending the squad out to an ‘Unknown type rescue.’ The paramedics received at least one of these calls a day. The address was in a residential area so they were hoping it was just something simple.

When they pulled up in front of the house a woman was standing in the front yard. She had her arms crossed in front of her and an annoyed look on her face. The paramedics approached her cautiously, not knowing who exactly she was annoyed with.

“You are not going to believe this.” Roy looked down and smiled. Another citizen had probably got themselves stuck in some household item.

She took them round the back of the house. A man was lying on the back deck in obvious pain, while another man was kneeling next to him trying to, what looked like get the other man to let go of his hand.

“Don’t you dare move….stay still!” The man who was lying on the deck yelled as the kneeling man tried to move his hand.

“But you’re hurting my hand,” whined the kneeling man.

When the paramedics got close they saw that they weren’t actually holding hands but that their hands were tied together. “What’s the problem?” Roy asked as he knelt down.

The kneeling man opened his mouth to explain but the woman answered first. “They were arm wrestling. Harold fell off his chair when Gerry finally pushed his hand down, _like always._ ” She said the latter under her breath.

“Don’t move my arm.” Harold shouted when Roy bent over to examine his arm. Roy felt up his arm while Johnny opened the drug box and opened and connected the aerial to the biophone.

“Your shoulder is dislocated.” Roy stated. Johnny pulled out his scissors and cut the rope that tied the men’s hands together.

Gerry stood and rubbed his hand. “That’s a relief.”

“That’s a relief….look at what you did to me?” Harold yelled.

“Sir…sir.” Johnny got Harold’s attention. “You need to calm down.”

Harold’s shoulder was immobilised and he was given a small dose of morphine. Roy accompanied him in the ambulance.

“Arm wrestling, can you believe it Dix?” The nurse nodded, yes she could believe it. She had seen it all, over her many years of nursing.

“You ready to go?” Roy asked Johnny as he approached the nurse’s desk.

“Yes. See you Dix.” Johnny picked up the HT.

“Bye fellas.” Dixie watched the two paramedics leave. It was turning out to be one of those days. People were coming in with the craziest problems.

On the drive back to the station Roy was waiting for Johnny to say something about their last rescue. He decided to be the first to speak. “I didn’t think arm wrestling could be so dangerous?”

Johnny snorted. “Tying your hands together, that’s a first for me. Harold’s wife said that Gerry always wins but Harold complains that he cheats so he insisted on tying their hands together.”

“Right…..I don’t quite see how that helps but….” Roy shrugged his shoulders.

“Crazy…..At their age…..They should know better.”

“What’s the saying? I might be old but I’m not dead.”

“Yeah but Roy, he’s lucky he didn’t break his shoulder.”

“Or hip. He did fall off a chair. He told me in the ambulance that as soon as his shoulder is better that he was going to challenge Gerry to a rematch.”

“I think his wife may have other ideas.” Johnny shook his head.

A week later an excited Chris came home with four free tickets to the wrestling. He spoke to his father on the phone that evening to let him know. Joanne let Chris stay up a little later than usual so he could tell his father.

When Roy ended the call he turned around with a smile on his face. “What are you doing this Friday night?”

Johnny ran his not so busy social schedule through his mind and smiled. “Were you just talking to Chris?”

“Yes.” Roy was grinning.

“Nothing, nothing at all.”

Roy sat down next to Johnny. “Chris got four free tickets.”

“Yes.” Johnny punched the air.

“What’s got you so happy Gage?” Chet asked as he entered the day room.

Roy looked at Chet. “Are you doing anything this Friday night Chet?”

Chet looked up towards the ceiling, deep in thought. “Nothing important…..Why?....What do you have in mind?”

“How does Friday night at the wrestling sound? Chris got four free tickets.”

“Do I have to sit with you?” Chet asked nonchalantly.

Johnny was astounded by the question. “Do you have to sit with us? What kind of a question is that?”

“I don’t know I think it’s a perfectly legit question.” Chet said as he sat down, remaining very calm. Inside he was elated but he wouldn’t show Gage that.

Roy the peacemaker answered. “You can sit wherever you want Chet.”

“Good. Thanks Roy. I’d love to go.” Chet got up and sat on the couch and switched on the TV.

Johnny looked at Roy with his mouth open. Roy lent over and placed his fingers under Johnny’s chin and closed his mouth. He never said a word. Chet had left him speechless.

They all met at Roy’s place on Friday night and drove in the one car. Roy and Johnny sat in the front leaving Chet and Chris in the back. Chet and Chris chatted about wrestling. Johnny tried to listen in but he didn’t understand half the stuff they were talking about.

Chet sat down the front while Roy, Chris and Johnny sat further back. Chris’s friend sat with them. “My dad’s in the first match.” He told them.

They spent the night booing and cheering. When the main event was announced Chris and his friend sat down the front with Chet. A wrestler named Roddy Piper walked out to the ring and was booed as he eyeballed the crowd. Roy and Johnny were laughing at what he was wearing; a quilt. Chet stood and yelled something and received a rude gesture for his trouble. Chet high fived Chris and his friend, elated that he had got a response from Roddy Piper. Roy and Johnny just shook their heads.

His opponent, Chavo Guerrero came out and received a rousing cheer from the crowd. Piper started attacking Guerrero before he got fully into the ring. The crowd booed and yelled at the referee to do something. The ring bell rang and the match was underway. Near the end of the match some other wrestlers jumped in and started helping Piper. More wrestlers jumped in and started helping Guerrero. Soon the ring was full of wrestlers. It was an all-out brawl.

When it was all over Chavo Guerrero and his helpers stood in the ring triumphant. Chet, Chris and his friend joined Roy and Johnny. They were laughing and smiling. Roy looked up. “Mack, how are you? Thanks for the tickets. We had a great time.”

“Roy, one of the boys has a bad cut on his forehead and we can’t seem to get it to stop. Can you and your partner take a look?”

“Sure we can.”

Johnny and Roy followed Mack back stage. Some of the wrestlers were getting changed. Johnny noticed Piper and Guerrero were joking and laughing like they were old friends. Johnny pointed them out to Roy. “We won’t tell Chet.” He snickered.

The wrestler who was bleeding looked pale. “We need some ice.” Roy told Mack.

“I’ll get some.” Another wrestler hurried off.

“We’ll just get you to lie down.” Johnny helped the wrestler lie down on the bench. He took his pulse while Roy examined the cut more closely.

“I think you’ll need stitches.”

“Harley you got any superglue?”

“Superglue?” Johnny looked at Roy wondering if he heard right.

“It could get infected.” Roy told the wrestler. “You really should get it stitched otherwise it might scar.”

“I want it to scar. It’ll look great.”

“Riightt.” Roy answered slowly. He, like Johnny, couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“You boys’ paramedics?” Roddy Piper asked as he stood over them. Johnny looked up and gulped.

“Y…y…yes, b…but we’re off duty. We don’t have our equipment.”

“Roy’s son goes to school with mine.” Mack told Piper.

“The bleeding has slowed down. You really should get stitches.” Roy told the still pale wrestler.

“Listen to them. They know what they’re talking about.” Piper told the bleeding wrestler.

“I’ll take you to the hospital.” Chavo Guerrero offered.

Soon, the bleeding wrestler was in Guerrero’s car. Roy and Johnny were thanked by all the wrestlers. Photos were taken with the wrestlers.  They joined Chris and Chet who were sitting watching the ring get dismantled.

“What are those?” Chet asked pointing to Johnny’s hand.

“Polaroids, the wrestlers took some photos with us back stage.”

“What!” Chet shook his head. “I don’t believe it. I’m the wrestling fan but you get photos with them. I don’t believe it.” Chet was walking away shaking his head.

Roy and Johnny proudly showed their pictures to Chris. They didn’t tell Chet that they got one signed for him.


	3. Chapter 3

“What happened to you?” Roy observed his partner, who had just arrived for shift. Johnny turned from his locker shaking his head and started to remove his shirt. He had a nasty scratch on the bridge of his nose and a bandage round his forearm. There were smaller scratches on his neck, chest and the back of his hands.

“I was helping Gil clear his property…the piece of land he has in Pasadena. We were clearing it all day yesterday. It was overgrown with wild blackberry bushes. Roy, they are the worst and most stubborn bushes I’ve ever come across.”

Roy nodded in agreement. “They are pretty bad. Once they get hold.”

“The thorns….there was just no way of avoiding them. You should see my shirt….it’s ripped to shreds. It looked like I had wrestled with a grizzly not just a thorn bush. Gil looked just as bad.” Johnny changed his shirt. “We think we got it all….We made sure we dug up the roots otherwise it’ll just take over again.”

“He’ll still have a few spring up. It’s a very persistent plant so he’ll need to stay on top of it. It’s a pest once it gets a hold.” Johnny nodded in agreement. When the paramedics had finished getting dressed they went to line up for roll call.

“What happened to you pal? You look like you wrestled with a cat.” Captain Stanley eyed his paramedic at roll call.

“I was clearing a few thorn bushes, wild blackberry bushes actually, on Gil’s property. Gil looks just as bad.” Johnny looked at his hands.

“You should have worn gloves pal.”

“Ah Cap, I did. There’s nothing left of them.” Johnny shrugged his shoulders. Cap continued with roll call shaking his head at his youngest crew member.

Later that day everyone was sitting in the dayroom. It had been a slow day. Both paramedics looked at each other and figured now was as good a time as any. Roy left to get the signed picture from the wrestling for Chet.

Johnny turned fully around in his chair and watched his partner pull the photo from behind his back. “Chet we thought you might want this.” Roy handed him the Polaroid.

“Thanks Roy.” Chet sat down on one of the chairs and looked closely at the photo.

“Look…it’s signed Chet. We asked him and got it signed for you.” Johnny said feeling a bit put off by Chet’s casual response.

“Thanks.” Again Chet acted very cool. His behaviour puzzled the paramedics.

“Don’t you like that wrestler?” Roy asked hoping to find out why their friend seemed to be so uninterested in the photo.

“Oh I like the wrestler….I just don’t like who’s standing next to him.” Chet got up and left the room. Inside he was laughing. He really was pleased about getting the signed picture but he didn’t want to give Gage that satisfaction. He couldn’t pass up the poke about him standing next to the wrestler.

“He is incredible.” Johnny was lost for words.

“I told you we should have given him my signed picture.” Roy had a signed picture with the same wrestler but he gave it to Chris.

“Somehow I don’t think Chris would want a picture of me with…with…What was his name?” Johnny shook his head.

“I can’t remember….Piper I think. I guess you’re right about the picture.” Roy broke out in a big grin. “I can’t wait to go again.”

“Neither can I.” Johnny was grinning too.

Chet was listening from just outside the door. _‘Yep, they’re hooked.’_

The next morning Roy and Johnny were changing in the locker room to go home, Chet entered to also get changed. “So when are you going to the wrestling again?”

“We are definitely going to the next show. That wrestler in the kilt…aahh…” Johnny was trying to remember his name.

“Roddy Piper.” Chet said with annoyance. “You know it would help if you remembered their names.”

Johnny gave Chet a dirty look. “Anyway…,” he looked at Chet, emphasising each word, “Roddy…Piper….he’s going to play the Mexican National Anthem on the bagpipes.”

Marco walked into the locker room. “You should come Marco. There’s this wrestler, everyone loves him. Chet….Chet….What’s that wrestler’s name….the Mexican one that everyone cheers.” Johnny was tapping Chet on the shoulder much to the annoyance of the Irishman.

“His name is Chavo Guerrero.” Chet announced scowling at Johnny for not remembering the wrestler’s name.

“Oh I know him. My cousin talks about him all the time.” Marco told his friends.

“You’ve got to hear this Marco. Chavo got real mad at this other wrestler…Roddy Piper…they were going to wrestle each other….Anyway, he comes out with bagpipes…a kilt…the whole thing….Piper said that he’d play the Mexican National Anthem next show…just to demonstrate what a good sport he is. You should come. It’ll be great.” Johnny slapped Marco on the shoulder.

“Really, he said he’d play the anthem on the bagpipes?” Johnny nodded smiling widely. “I hope he plays better than you.”

“Hey.”

“So do I.” Roy joined in.

“Let’s face it…anyone can play better than Gage.” Chet told the group.

“I guess I wasn’t very good.” Johnny looked around sheepishly, not taking offense to the ribbing. He remembered his music kick and how he drove everyone insane. “You’ve got to admit Marco, just seeing that alone would be worth going to the wrestling.”

“Yeah it would....I’ll bring my cousin.” Marco smiled, Johnny’s enthusiasm was infectious. Roy wasn’t far behind him.

“This will be great Roy.” Johnny was rubbing his hands together.

Roy caught up with Mack and after asking about the young bleeding wrestler, found out where the next show was. Roy told his friend how they had talked one of the crew into coming to hear the Mexican National Anthem played on the bagpipes. Mack warned Roy that anything could happen at a wrestling show.

They all met at the arena. “What’s that?” Johnny was pointing to large sheets of cardboard in Chet’s hands.

“These are just a few signs.” Chet said casually.

“What kind of signs? Can I see?” Chris reached for the signs.

“Ah ah ah you’ll have to wait.” Chet rolled the cardboard up tighter. Roy and Johnny snickered. Chet caught them and scowled at them. “It’s what all serious fans do.”

Both paramedics nodded. Chet blinked, he hated it when the paramedics did things in unison, it was like seeing double. “Come on let’s go in.” Roy announced.

Like the last time, Chet chose to sit down the front while Roy, Johnny, Marco and Chris sat further back. Marco’s cousin sat with Chet. He was a keen wrestling fan like Chet. Half way through the show Chris joined them.

It was finally the main event. As usual Roddy Piper received loud boos from the crowd. He was carrying his bagpipes. When his opponent Chavo Guerrero got into the ring Piper announced that he was going to play the Mexican National Anthem in good faith. The audience went silent and waited.

Roddy Piper took his time and finally started to play. It became obvious very quickly that it wasn’t the Mexican National Anthem that was being played; it was ‘La Cucaracha’. All hell broke loose as the audience which was made up of fifty per cent Mexicans started to heckle and yell. Marco couldn’t stop laughing. “I don’t believe this.”

Chavo Guerrero’s face turned red with rage. He grabbed the bagpipes from Piper before he could finish. Holding onto the pipes he slapped either side of Piper’s face with the bag part, like you would use a glove to challenge someone to a duel. He then threw the bagpipes out of the ring.

Chavo signalled the referee to start the match.  Roddy Piper was thrown out of the ring at least a dozen times during the match. The paramedics wondered about the wrestler’s back after continually landing on the hard floor.

Piper, while the referee was distracted, pulled something out from his wrestling trunks. He attached it to his hand and punched Chavo in the face. His opponent was knocked out cold. He pinned Chavo for the count of three. It was all over. The whole arena was booing. Many of the fans were standing and yelling at Piper.

Piper grabbed one of Chet’s signs and ripped it in half on his way out. Chet high fived Chris and Marco’s cousin enthusiastically. He picked up his torn sign and tucked it under his arm. It was a trophy he would keep to remember the night by.

Chris was smiling from ear to ear as he approached his dad, Johnny and Marco. “Did you see it? He ripped up Chet’s sign.”

“Yes I saw it.” Roy ruffled his son’s hair.

“Daaad…leave my hair alone.” Chris ran his hands through his hair trying to get it back the way it was.

“That was cool.” Marco’s cousin was as excited as Chris. It was hard to tell who the biggest fan was.

“Sorry about the National Anthem Marco.” Johnny slapped his friend on the shoulder.

“Geez Gage, don’t tell me you actually thought he was going to play the Mexican National Anthem?” Chet asked the paramedic.

“Yes.” Johnny shrugged his shoulders.

“I thought he was going to play it.” Roy added supporting his best friend.

“Well you’re both gullible.” Chet announced.

“Hang on you never said anything earlier. You thought he was going to play it.” Johnny said, not believing the Irishman knew otherwise.

“Nope….knew he wouldn’t.” Everyone shook their heads not quite believing Chet. “A true fan always expects the unexpected.” Chet announced, giving Chris and Marco’s cousin a wink.

“You know…Mack said those exact same words to me when I asked him about this show.” Roy told his partner.

“I can’t believe you Chet?” Marco said to his friend with wide eyes. They all left the arena laughing and joking.

On the way home, Chris and Johnny drove Roy crazy singing ‘La Cucaracha’, over and over again. It didn’t help that Johnny was off key the entire time.

 


	4. Chapter 4

“What are you doing son?” Roy took a seat next to Chris. His son had been sitting at the dining room table concentrating on something for most of the morning. Roy had become curious and wanted to know what had caught his son’s attention.

“I’m trying to think of a good wrestling name for when I become a professional wrestler.” His son innocently claimed.

Roy had to stop himself from reacting. He cleared his throat and tried to remain calm. His wife walked through the doorway and called out, “Chris Hero.” She blinked when she saw Roy.

“You’re encouraging him with this?” He questioned his wife in disbelief.

“Mom’s helping me come up with a name.” Chris quickly wrote down the suggestion.

Joanne shrugged her shoulders. “Yeah….I’m helping him come up with a name.” She turned and went back into the kitchen, avoiding her husband’s response. He could hear her giggling.

Roy shook his head. “What other names do you have?” He figured he might as well join in. It was probably only a passing phase that his son was going through so they might as well have some fun with it.

“Uncle Johnny gave me this one….Chris Eagles. This is Uncle Chet’s.” Chris pointed to the name. Roy read it out loud.

“Chris the Destroyer Hammer.” Roy looked at his son. “That’s pretty graphic son.”

“Graphic?” Chris frowned not understanding the word his father used.

“Very visual….people will see you as a wrestler who really punishes his opponent…that sought of thing.”

“Hey you gave me an idea…Chris the Punisher.” Roy looked a bit bewildered. He hadn’t meant to add to the growing list.

“Chris the Punisher….I guess that’s ok.” Roy nodded in approval. “What else do you have?” Roy spent a long time with his son listening to what he wanted to wear and what his big finishing move would be. He didn’t quite understand some of the jargon his son was using but he pretty much got the gist of it. Chris tried to have a finishing hold that related to his name. Roy thought it was quite clever of his son.

“I have an idea for a gimmick. You could dress up like a fireman and call yourself Chris Fire.” Roy smiled at his suggestion. He thought it was pretty good.

“Daad…that is so square. Who would want to see a wrestler dressed like a fireman?”

“Johnny and I would…and Chet.” Chris shook his head.

“Uncle Chet would laugh at it.” Chris told his father.

“Well…Johnny and I wouldn’t.” Roy shrugged his shoulders.

“Thanks Dad but I think I’ll stick with these names.” Chris started drawing different outfits. Roy watched his son for a while. He got up to get a cup of coffee.

“Having fun?” Joanne asked her husband as he poured himself some coffee.

“Chris sure is….I’m still a bit unsure….my son the professional wrestler.” Roy shook his head. “I hope it’s just a passing phase.”

“What if it’s not….you’ll still support him.” Joanne smiled at her husband.

“I do have higher aspirations for my son Joanne….That’s what the college fund is for.”

“All parents have high aspirations for their children but in the end it will be up to Chris.”

Roy nodded. “It’s just that…a professional wrestler?” Roy stood and frowned in disbelief.

“You always said that you didn’t want your son to be a fireman.”

“Yes but I was kind of hoping that he would follow the paramedic side of things.” Roy shrugged his shoulders. There was still time for Chris to change his mind.

Next shift Roy and Johnny couldn’t resist singing ‘La Cucaracha’ whenever Marco or Chet were around. Johnny had taken to whistling the tune as he worked around the station.

“Put a sock in it Gage.” Chet had had enough. Johnny smirked. It wasn’t often that he was able to get under Chet’s skin.

Everyone was just about to sit down and enjoy lunch when the klaxons sounded. _Squad 51…possible drowning….2486 Wilcox Ave…2486 Wilcox Ave….nearest cross street…Willoughby Ave. Time out 1235._ The squad took off down the street leaving the rest of the crew to enjoy their lunch.

When they returned and sat down at the table, Marco started to hum. Chet stopped what he was doing and stared at his friend. “What?”

“Marco…I don’t believe you. We just got rid of DeSoto and Gage and here you are humming that…that…tune.”

“I happen to like that tune. It’s catchy…”

“It’s driving me nuts.” Chet injected through clenched teeth. Everyone around the table chuckled. It wasn’t often Johnny got one over Chet.

Roy and Johnny arrived at their destination and quickly grabbed their equipment. They were carrying it around the side of a house to the backyard. There was a large in ground swimming pool. Two teenagers were out of the pool and off to one side. One was unconscious and the other was holding a towel to his head. There was blood on the towel.

“What happened?” Johnny asked as he put down their equipment and knelt down next to the unconscious teen.

“We were doing all these fancy jumps into the pool….stuff like we see on TV…on the wrestling. I was trying out this move and I forgot to check that Troy was out of the way. Our heads clashed.” Troy started to groan and his eyes fluttered open.

“Let me have a look at this cut.” Roy took the towel away and immediately applied pressure with a guauze over the cut. “It doesn’t look too bad but I think it will need a couple of stiches.” Troy was now sitting up. A purple bruise and some swelling were forming under his left eye.

Johnny checked his vitals and his pupil response. “You’ll need to go to the hospital to get some xrays.”

“Will I have a scar?” Roy looked at his patient and smiled.

“Only very slight. It’s a clean cut.” The teen looked disappointed.

Johnny was confused by the young man’s response. “I was hoping I’d have a scar like the wrestlers on TV.”

“Oh yeah…Who’s your favourite?” Johnny asked the teenagers.

“Mil Mascaras.” The teenager with the cut on his head answered straight away.

“I like Dusty Rhodes.” Troy told Johnny.

“Well Dusty I think Mil won this match.” Johnny smiled widely at the boys. Roy shook his head. His partner’s humour was lost on the teenagers. The ambulance attendants wheeled a gurney up to the poolside. Troy was laid on it while his friend walked to the ambulance and sat on the bench inside.

Johnny and Roy were on their way back to the station. “You know Roy…I didn’t understand half the stuff Troy was talking about in the ambulance. It’s a whole different world and language.”

“I know what you mean. I was spending some time with Chris yesterday and he was showing me some of the wrestling names he was considering for when he became a professional wrestler.” Roy glanced at his giggling partner. “You are as bad as Joanne….This is serious….My son wants to be a professional wrestler when he grows up.”

Johnny couldn’t contain himself. He burst out laughing. He was laughing so hard he had tears in his eyes. Roy was soon joining him. Johnny finally found his voice and asked, “So what name did he decide on?”

“It was down to four names…Chris Hero…Chris Eagles…” Johnny smiled at that considering he suggested it. “Chris the Punisher…That was my suggestion.” Roy told his partner.

“You….You suggested a name? The father who couldn’t believe his son wanted to be a professional wrestler.” Johnny started to laugh. “You are bad Roy so bad.”

“Well I figured I might as well join in and have some fun with my son.” Roy shrugged his shoulders. Johnny shook his head.

“Anyway…getting back to the names….Chet came up with this one…Chris the Destroyer Hammer.” Johnny burst out laughing again.

“That’s a bit over the top.”

“That’s what I said. Oh and I came up with another name and gimmick.” Roy took one hand off the steering wheel. They were stopped at lights. “Chris Fire and he could dress up as a fireman.”

“What did Chris say to that?”

“Told me that is was so square.” Johnny looked as disappointed as Roy.

“I thought it sounded pretty good.” Both paramedics contemplated the idea as the squad backed into the station. Suddenly lunch took over their thoughts as their stomachs growled.


	5. Chapter 5

“You told Chris to dress up like a fireman?” Chet laughed in a mocking way that puzzled both Roy and Johnny. They both thought that Roy’s idea was a good one. “I admit Chris Fire is a good name but a fireman? You guys just don’t understand the wrestling world.”

“Why don’t you explain it to us Chet?” Roy asked the still laughing lineman as he turned in his chair, his eyes following Chet around the room. He was beginning to lose his patience. His partner looked like he was about to throttle Chet. “I mean I listened to my son try to explain things to me yesterday but I didn’t understand a lot of the things he was talking about.”

Chet lent over close to Roy. “That’s because you’re not a true wrestling fan.” He stood and shrugged his shoulders. “It’s what I’ve been saying all along.”

“Then explain it to us Chet.” Johnny injected feeling as frustrated as Roy.

“Sorry…but I only talk to true fans about wrestling.” Chet left the kitchen.

“And you called me a nut.” Johnny shook his head while Roy raised his eyebrows. Both paramedics went back to eating their late lunch.

When the paramedics were cleaning up the kitchen, after eating their lunch uninterrupted, the klaxons sounded. _Station 51, truck 82, station 36, engine 11, engine 8, battalion 14…structure fire…123 West Olympic Blvd…123 West Olympic Blvd…Nearest cross Hauser Blvd…Time out 1512._

Station 51 was the first to arrive. A warehouse type structure was fully engulfed in flames. It was surrounded by unoccupied buildings but further along was residential buildings. Captain Stanley immediately called for a second alarm. They needed to contain this fire.

Since the buildings were vacant and there were no victims, Roy and Johnny took charge of a hose. For two hours the fire-fighters fought the beast. Several times they thought they had it under control only to have it launch itself from a new source within the building. At one stage Roy and Johnny found themselves surrounded as the flames circled them looking for more timber to devour. Fortunately, Chet and Marco were not far away and quickly cleared a path for the paramedics.

The teams of fire-fighters wrestled with their fully charged hoses, tag teamed as they took turns on the nozzle and continued to drown the flames. Although in the end the building was lost to the fire, the surrounding buildings had been saved. The efforts of the fire-fighters were rewarded with that alone and the realities that near-by residents were never under threat.

The dirty job of clean-up took another hour; the tired fire-fighters of station 51 welcomed their release from the scene. However they all knew the unwelcomed task of hose cleaning and hanging lay ahead of them.

“Hey guys. I thought it was you when I saw you from over there.” The wrestler Roy and Johnny had helped back stage with a bleeding cut shook their hands.

“So this is what you guys do when you’re not going to wrestling shows.” Both paramedics smiled at the wrestler. “My name’s Keith by the way. I don’t think Mack actually introduced us.”

“Hi…I’m Roy and this is my partner Johnny. Do you live around here?” Johnny nodded at the wrestler and shook hands with him. They continued to pack up and put their equipment away.

“Nah…I was just visiting a friend while I was in town. I pretty much live out of my suit case these days.”

“That must be hard?” Johnny thought about a life on the road, never stopping long enough in one town to make new friends. He imagined it would be extremely difficult.

“It is but you get used to it and we all look out for each other.”

Roy slapped Johnny on the arm. “A bit like us…we watch each other’s back.”

“I guess it would be….in a more extreme way.”

“Yes….It can get a bit precarious sometimes….but…thanks to our crew we all made it out.” Roy said as he eyed the remains of the building.

“It did get a bit too close for comfort in there.” Johnny added as he too examined the burnt out building. Both paramedics would talk later and air their feelings to each other. Roy cleared his throat and changed the subject. The young wrestler had seen the looks pass between the paramedics and wondered just how close things had actually got in the fire.

“My son wants to be a professional wrestler when he grows up.” Roy told Keith.

“Yeah.” Keith was impressed and smiled widely at Roy’s statement.

“I told him he should dress up as a fireman and call himself Chris Fire.” Keith was shaking his head. “He said that it wouldn’t work.”

“He’s right. It’s too….real. People use wrestling as an escape. They want to be entertained and forget about their troubles. That’s why there’s always a good guy and a bad guy….a face or a heel.”

Johnny was pointing and waving his finger. “So that’s what that means…I had a patient who was talking about wrestling and mentioned…face…and I couldn’t work out what he was talking about.” Johnny smiled as the conversation started to now make sense.

“You have to understand the wrestling world has its own language. It can be a bit confusing to outsiders.”

“Tell me about it. My son was talking to me about wrestling….and some of the things he talked about….I had no idea what he was talking about.”

“Your son must really know his wrestling….Next show is on Saturday….You guys free?”

Both paramedics looked at each other and smiled. They turned and faced Keith with big smiles. “Yes.” They said and nodded in unison.

Keith laughed. These guys were hooked. “Ok…my guests….Just give them my card….How many tickets do you need. How many are in your crew?”

Johnny and Roy looked around. “There are six in our crew including our Captain.” Roy said surprised that Keith wanted to include the whole crew.

“I’ll have twenty five tickets put aside for you. Just give them my card at the door.”

“Gee…thanks Keith that’s really good of you.” Roy took the card.

“No you guys do a lot of good work. It’s the least we could do.” They shook hands and got on with clearing up the site. Both fire vehicles left together.

“Some of these wrestlers are really nice people.” Johnny said to Roy. “I mean…he didn’t have to do that…give us free tickets.”

“No he didn’t…and it was nice of him to include everyone and their families.” Roy added as they drove the squad back to the station. “Wait till we tell everyone.”

“Yeah…it’s going to be great. I wonder who’s wrestling.”

“We at least know one wrestler.” Johnny looked at Roy with a confused face. “Keith….he’ll be wrestling.”

“Oh yeah….I wonder what his wrestling name is?” Roy shrugged his shoulders. He had no idea.

“Maybe Chet can tell us.” Both Roy and Johnny were reluctant to ask Chet, knowing it annoyed the Irishman no end that they couldn’t remember wrestler’s names.

“Yes I know who he is.” Roy and Johnny had just let everyone know they had free tickets to the wrestling on Saturday night.

“Well…Aren’t you going to tell us?” Johnny was getting very impatient with Chet. His smugness about wrestling was starting to irritate the paramedic.

“It’s Keith Franke….He’s new….He wears a leather jacket.” Chet shrugged his shoulders. “He’s a pretty good wrestler but I don’t think he’ll make the big time. He’s not colourful enough.”

“Colourful? Since when do you have to be dressed colourful to be a good wrestler?” Johnny asked Chet. Chet was shaking his head.

“Not dressed colourful you dummy. He’s not flamboyant enough…no charisma…that sought of thing.”

“Well why didn’t you just say that?” Johnny raised his hands in frustration.

Not liking where the conversation was going Roy interrupted Johnny and Chet. “Oh I remember him. He beat that really popular wrestler on the night we saw him.” Roy said waving a knife in the air. He was in the middle of preparing supper.

“He’s a heel right?” Johnny pointed at Chet. It had had the desired effect. Chet had a surprised look on his face. Johnny elbowed Roy and smiled. Roy shook his head. Johnny may have got one up on Chet but he still had a long way to go. His conversation the other day with his son Chris, confirmed there was a lot more the two paramedics needed to learn about wrestling before they could have a meaningful conversation with a true wrestling fan.

 


	6. Chapter 6

“You do realise it’s my birthday Sunday. I expect a cake ….candles and presents...The whole thing.” Chet told his crew mates as they sat down and ate supper.

“Maybe we could go out and celebrate before the show on Saturday.” Marco suggested.

“That’s a great idea.” Cap added.

“What kind of cake?” Johnny asked. His thoughts were on what Chet had announced rather than what Marco and Cap had been discussing.

Chet shrugged his shoulders. “My favourite is vanilla with lots of cream and strawberry jelly in between.”

“Yeah?….Lots of cream?…” Roy glanced at his partner. There was a gleam in his eye that he recognised. _‘What are you up to Junior?’_ Roy thought, and would ask him later.

The rest of the shift went by without too many runs. The paramedics delivered a set of twins at three in the morning. They were still on cloud nine at end of shift and Roy almost forgot to ask Johnny about Chet’s cake.

“Oh I’m getting him a cake….the biggest cake I can get…..with lots and lots of cream.”

“Right.” Roy said slowly not quite understanding his partner’s line of thinking.

“I’m going to get Keith to present it to him at the wrestling show…Maybe the audience will sing Happy Birthday to him.”

Roy smiled. “That’s a really good idea Johnny….Very thoughtful.” Roy’s eyebrows knitted when he saw his partner snicker.

“What was it Mack told you Roy? Anything can happen at a wrestling show….Chet even said the same thing…This is going to be great.” Johnny finished getting dressed with a huge smile on his face. Roy every so often heard his partner mumble to himself. He shook his head. Every time Johnny tried to get one up on Chet it always seemed to backfire.

Using the card Keith had given them to get their tickets, Johnny contacted him and told him of his plans. Keith was all for it. He would even arrange for one of the bigger name wrestlers to present the cake to Chet.

Next shift Johnny filled Roy in on what he had arranged. “You’re not going to tell me what they’re really going to do are you?”

“Nope….just this…expect the unexpected.” Johnny smiled at Roy. He shook his head. The klaxons sounded. _‘Squad 51 man down…112 Franklin Ave…112 Franklin Ave…Nearest cross Wilcox Ave…Time out 9:23.’_

The squad pulled up outside a gym. They grabbed their equipment and made their way inside. A well-built young man met them just inside the door. “This way…we didn’t know what else to do. He’s in a lot of pain…I think his ankle is broken.”

They were led inside the complex. A wrestling ring was set up inside. Several young men and a couple of girls were standing around looking anxious. Roy glanced at Johnny. He looked like how he felt, intrigued by the behaviour of the occupants.

The people parted to reveal the victim. Lying on the floor was the biggest man both paramedics had ever seen. He was at least seven feet tall and had the biggest feet they had ever encountered. “I think my ankle is broken.” A deep voice announced.

Johnny knelt down and tried to examine the ankle. “I’ll have to take this boot off.” He pulled out his scissors to cut it away from the ankle.

“No….don’t cut it….I need these boots…..I get them specially made.” Johnny grinned briefly believing that the man would have to get them made especially with feet that size.

“It will hurt too much if I try to remove it normally.”

“Don’t worry about that…I’ll handle it.” Johnny looked at Roy, who shrugged his shoulders.

“Ok…here goes.” He tried to be as gentle as possible but he had to move the ankle to manoeuvre the boot off his foot. The man grimaced, but  endured the pain the paramedic was causing him.

“What’s your name?” Roy asked the man.

“Andre.” He held out his large hand for Roy to shake. Roy felt small and insignificant in this man’s presence.

“How did this happen?” Roy asked as he wrote down the vitals.

“I jumped out of the ring…Done it hundreds of times…but this time I landed funny and my ankle went from under me.” His accent and extremely deep voice was nothing the paramedics had heard before.

“I’m not sure if it’s broken or if it’s a bad sprain. You may have torn some ligaments. It’s really bruising.” Johnny informed Andre and Roy.

“The ambulance is here.” A gurney was wheeled in. The attendants took one look at Andre and wondered if he’d fit in the ambulance.

“We’ll have to sit him up.” Roy told the attendants after seeing their puzzled faces. An IV was started and the ankle was splinted. Roy rode in with Andre while Johnny followed in the squad.

“You’re Andre the Giant.” Dr Brackett told the man who nodded in response. Roy couldn’t help but chuckle, even the hard-nosed, head of emergency, Dr Kelly Brackett followed wrestling.

Roy told Johnny about Dr Brackett when he arrived. “We should see if he wants to come to the show on Saturday. We have some spare tickets.”

“That’s a good idea.” Roy slapped Johnny on the back.

“What’s a good idea?” Dixie asked as she sat down.

“We have some spare tickets to the wrestling on Saturday night. We thought Dr Brackett would like to go.”

“Oh brother….He’ll go….He watches it on TV whenever he can.”

“I have to say I’m surprised.” Johnny said seriously to Dixie.

“You’d be surprised about a lot of things…if you knew Kel like I do.” Dixie shrugged her shoulders.

“Oh yeah…like what Dix?”

“I’m not telling you Johnny Gage.” She pointed her pen at the paramedic.

“Come on Junior…Time to go…We’ll call Dr Brackett.”

“Ok.” Johnny scowled. “Dix…”

“Scoot!” Dixie told Johnny in no uncertain terms. Roy grabbed his partner and dragged him away.

Dr Brackett accepted the invitation. He told them Andre had torn several ligaments and would be in plaster for four weeks. He met up with station 51 and their families for dinner before the show. When they arrived at the venue they were escorted down to a section of seating that was very close to the front.

After a couple of matches Keith Franke entered the ring and made a special announcement. “We would like you all to welcome LA’s finest…Station 51 Firemen and Paramedics.” He waved his hand towards the group and gestured for them to stand up. They stood and waved to the clapping crowd. “It’s a special occasion for one of the firemen. Chet Kelly come on up to the ring…We have something special for you.” Chet stood and splayed his hand on his chest.

“Me.” He said surprised but excited at the same time.

“Go on up Chet.” Johnny told the lineman.

Chet made his way to the ring and stepped through the ropes onto it. “Chet we believe it’s your birthday.”

Chet smiled at his friends. They must have arranged this for him. “Yes…yes it is.” He said into the microphone.

Two more wrestlers made their way to the ring with a large cake. Johnny was smiling but Roy became very suspicious. “We’d like to wish you a Happy Birthday and present you with this cake.” Before they could hand over the cake to Chet, Bruiser Brody stepped into the ring. The audience immediately started booing. Chet looked up at the wrestler he had referred to as a legend.

The other wrestlers in the ring started to protest. Bruiser Brody took no notice of them and tried to grab the cake. There was a scuffle and somehow the cake ended up in Chet’s face. Keith grabbed Chet and led him out of the ring as a handicap match started between Bruiser Brody and the other two wrestlers. Chet stood outside the ring with Keith and watched Bruiser Brody throw the wrestlers out of the ring. He stood triumphant in the middle of the ring.

Everyone cheered Chet as he was helped back to his seat. “Sorry about the cake Chet…but as you said expect the unexpected.” Johnny smiled triumphantly at Chet.

Chet shook his head. “No way…there is no way you planned that.” He pointed his finger at the paramedic. He saw Roy nodding and smiling. Chet’s expression changed. “All I can say is Thanks…You couldn’t have arranged a better present for a wrestling fan.”

Johnny frowned. Roy shook his head. Once again Johnny’s plan had backfired. He was lost for words. Chet just grinned triumphantly, high fiving Chris, Marco’s cousin and Dr Brackett. Johnny’s expression was priceless. Roy reached over and closed Johnny’s mouth.  Chet had won again.

 


End file.
